Fluorescent maintenance apparatus



Oct. 2, 1945. 5. LEIBOW FjLUORESCENT MAINTENANCE APPARATUS Filed Oct.16, 1942 vantageous features in view.

Patented Och 2, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,385,320 FLUORESCENTMAINTENANCE APPARATUS Saul Leibow, Providence, It. I.

Application center is, 1942, Serial No. 462,217

2 Claims. (01. 294-2.)

The invention relates to apparatus for facilitating the maintenance andrepair of lighting fixtures, and has particular reference to apparatusdesigned for the maintenance of fluorescent lamps.

It is the principal object provide a repair tool for readily removingand replacing fluorescent bulbs and other lamp parts.

A further object of the invention is to reduce the time and eliminatethe difllculty of removal and repair of parts of fluorescent lamps whichare not readily accessible to the repair man,

With the above and other objects and adthe invention consists of a novelarrangement of parts more fully disclosed in the detailed descriptionfollowing, in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, and morespecifically defined in the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a view, partl broken away, of the upper portion of the novelmaintenance tool, with a fluorescent bulb indicated in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. l, with the alternative position of thetool head indicated in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in section and partly broken away, of astandard type of fluorescent lamp;

Fig. 4 is a perspective, partly broken away, of a fluorescent bulb;

Fig. 5 is a side view of a rangement;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, the starter housing having a novelguideway clamped thereto of the invention to standard starter ar- Fig.'l is a perspective view of the novel guidey;

Fig. 8 is a plan ing removed;

Fig. 9 is a perspective of a standard starter; and

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of" the novel tool part for removal andreplacement of the starter, the starter being indicated in dotted lines.

It has been found desirable to facilitate the maintenance of fluorescentlamps, which are usually mounted. at the ceiling or in other relativelyinaccessible locations, by providing a tool with which the lamp partsmay be quickly and easily removed and replaced. Such replacement isessential for proper maintenance, as a lamp which is nearing the end ofits life. indicated by its flashing on and 01!, must be promptly reviewof Fig. 5, the starter bemoved in order not to damage the starter andother equipment.

The present type of fluorescent lamp, however, utilizes a turn terminalor socket, and the lamp is provided at each end with two pin contactswhich are that inserted into a slide passage in the socket and are thenturned a quarter turn to lock in the socket. Since the lamps may be ofsubstantial length, up to at least five feet, the problem of replacementinvolves turning'a long lamp through a quarter turn, sliding the lampout of its sockets, and then inserting a new lamp in the reverse manner.

I have devised a novel tool which simplifies the removal and theinsertion of fluorescent lamps. To this end, I provide a swivel lampgrip ll, see Fig. 1, which has a base it of extended length, providedwith two spring grip elements l2, which, as illustrated in Fig. 2. havespring flngers II for snapping around a lamp in gripping engagementtherewith. The base II has a depending bracket it, which includes twospaced arms ll, pivotally mounted on a support I! by means of a pivotpin II. The support I8 is recessed to seat a leaf spring ll, mounted onthe pin l1 and pressing against one arm is, and a snap washer is issecured to the other arm I! and cooperates with a second snap washer 2]secured to the support It, the end of the pin I! being threaded toreceive a tightening nut 2|, whereb the spring I! is placed underpressure.

The two snap washers have their parts so arranged that the base ii maybe snapped into either one of two selective positions, either upright,as shown in Fig. 1, or at right angles, as indicated in dotted lines inFig. 2. The support It may be secured to a long pole 22 in any suitablemanner, as by nails or the like, and the repair man may then reach upand snap the fingers I! over thelamp. and then push the pole 22 up at aslight angle, whereupon the base ll snaps around and turns the lamp 23in its sockets 24, see Fig. 3. The contact pins 25, see Fig. 4, may nowbe slid out of the passages 26 in the sockets, and the lamp removed. Anew lamp is replaced in the reverse manner. The described parts thusfunction to selectively yieldingly lock in the necessary operativepositions for fluorescent lamp maintenance.

To facilitate a quick, accurate insertion of the contact pins in thepassages 26, guideways 21 may be used, see Figs. 6 and "I, each guidewayhaving clamp on arms I! to snap over the sides of the sockets, andhaving flaring guide fingers 29 to guide the contact pins into thepassages 20.

a, see ms sis and a As shown mugs. the starter has two contact pins 8iwhichfit'in hayaseasao having an elongated base, lamp gripping fingersthereon,asupport,andmeanslockingsaidbase suitable manner, as by abayonet 44 which cooperateswithanailinthepoleendtheother end of-thesupport having a plurality of spring 8119 sers ll to; grinning thestarters, which 10 maytthen be turned for removal and for replacemen YThe novel tool thus provides a simple means for removing and insertingfluorescent lamps and starters, supplemental guideways for the lampcontact pins being utilized it desired. WhileI have described specificconstructional emb'odiments or the parts of the maintenance tool, it isobvious that changes in the size. shape and arrangement of the parts maybe made to suit different lamp designs, without departing from thespirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

to said support including mechanism for selectively release-bl! lockingsaid base in alignment with and at right angles to said support, saidmechanism including cooperating lock washers respectively secured to thebase and the support.

2; A tool for fluorescent lamp maintenance, comprising an elongatedsupport, an elongated base extending at right angles to saidsupport andhaving spaced spring finger elements adapted to snap around a lamp, andmeans attaching the base to one end of the support having resilientlyinterengaging parts for selectively snapping the base to a position inalignment with the support or to a position lateral to the support andat right angles to the first position.

sam- LEIBOW.

